Wiping device



y 1932 w. PRESTWICH ET AL 1,856,362

WIPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 25, 1951 n 1 1 1 1 I u 11 1 I I a \nverfl'ovs.

Wrighr PresTvvich ErnesT Presfwich AKfys Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIPING DEVICE Application filed August 25, 1931. Serial No. 559,238.

This invention relates to a wiping device and more particularly to devices of this character which are adapted to cleaning places which are difficult to reach by the ordinary cleaning apparatus available.

It is the experience of every motorist who makes a practice of cleaning his own car that certain portions of the vehicle are extremely difficult to properly clean or polish by means of the ordinary brush or cleansing cloth. Particularly is this true of the interior portions of the vehicle wheel known as the wire wheel. Due to the disposition of the wire spokes it is extremely difiicult to reach the hub portion of the wheel. There are other portions of the vehicle which are equally diflicult to reach, such as certain portions of the chassis which are below the body of the car. To clean or polish certain parts of furniture and the like it is also found very difiicult, with the ordinary means available, to produce a satisfactory result. The object of the present invention is to provide a device which renders cleaning operations in inaccessible places a comparatively simple operation.

further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device of this character in which the cleaning portions are detachably secured to a handle or frame portion and are therefore readily renewable when they become soiled or worn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device of this character having the end'portions especially formed or mutilated to enable a cleaning. cloth to be secured thereto without fear of its becoming loosened or exposing any portion of its sup-- porting member which might cause damage to the object upon which the cleaner is to be used.

In drawing:

Fig. 1 is a general view illustrating a portion of a vehicle wheel and method by which the invention may be used to clean the interior portion thereof.

Fig. 2 is a general view in perspectiveillustrating the device with the cleaning cloths removed therefrom.

Fig. 3 is an enlargedview of one end of the device with the cleaning cloth in position.

Fig.4 is a view of the end of the device opposite to that shown in Figure 3.

i Fig. 5 is a general view of a modified form of the device.

In order to obtain a satisfactory result in cleaning a motor vehicle or any other object it is necessary that every portion of the object be reached and thoroughly cleansed. If this is not done the time consumed in cleaning the readily accessible portions of the object is wasted. It very often happens that a person who desires to accomplish an effective and satisfactory result resorts to makeshift means to obtain that result. For instance: when cleaning a motor car the inaccessible portions are sometimes reached by using a tool which is not adapted for such purposes. It is more or less common practice to use a screw driver or similar instrument over which is placed a cleaning cloth. Such an arrangement is not only difficult to work with, but is also dangerous to the finish on the car. If the cleaning cloth slips out of position and exposes the end of the tool, disastrous results will follow. It very often happens that no satisfactory make' shift is available for cleaning the. inaccessible portions of the vehicle and as a result the cleaning operation cannot be thoroughly completed.

The present invention provides a means which is especiallyv adapted for cleaning portions of a vehicle or other objects which are diflicul't if not impossible to reach. by the ordinary cleaning implements. The general proportions and shape of thedevice arefiinmaterial to the principles of the invention.

A particular form of thedevice is illustrated in the drawing in which the handle or grip portion is constructed of a flat strip of metal or other suitable material 1, the ends of which are especially constructed to receive the cleansing cloths. The-handle portion may be constructed of any other suitable material and is desirably shaped to conform readily to the hand. The device may be con.- structed to receive wiping. clothsat one end only; It is however found desirable to in.-

corporate the novel features of the invention at both ends of the device.

One end of the device designated generally at 2 is especially formed to receive a pad of cloth or waste. The construction of this end as shown herein is designed to receive the pad in a manner to prevent relative movement between the pad and the end of the wiping device. One method of accomplishing this result is to divide the extreme end 3 thereof into two sections 4 and 5; the portion 4 is bent laterally in one direction and is desirably formed into a portion of a ring, while the portion 5 is similarly shaped but is bent in a laterally opposite direction to that in portion l. As shown in the drawing the handle portion 1 and theend portions of the device are integral. The end portions however may be separate elements secured to the handle portion. At the unction between the handle portion 1 andthe end portion 2 the fiat strip constituting the handle portion is bent in such a manner that portion 1 of the strip forming the end 2 is disposed at right angles to the handle portion. This structure enables the wiping cloth to secure a more effective grip upon its end portion.

The opposite end of the device is desirably reduced to a comparatively small cross section and is formed in a spiral to present a structure similar to a corkscrew 6.

Means are also provided to secure the wiping cloths to the ends of the device. To describe the structure and operation of these anchoring devices the method of applying the cloths to the device will be described. The end 2 of the device is adapted to receive a wiping cloth which will cover a relatively greater area of surface to be cleaned than the opposite end of the device and for this reason a large pad of cloth or waste 7 is placed about the end portion 2, so that it will completely cover all metal portions thereof. To retain this wad of cloth or waste in position upon the device, a strip of cloth 8 is provided which is anchored at one end upon a hook 9 secured to the handle 1. To accomplish this result a short slit 10 is formed in the end of the strip 8. The strip 8 is then wound about the pad 7 in a continuous spiral upwardly near or directly over the outer end of the pad 7 and thence spirally downwardly to a point adjacent to the hook 9. At this point a locking means is provided to secure the free end of the strip 8. This locking means is desirably in a form of a keeper 11 which is pivoted to the handle portion 1 at 12. The pivot point 12 is so constructed that the keeper 11 may have a limited amount of play relatively to the handle portion. To

lock the free end ofthe strip 8 the keeper 11 is swung into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and the end of the strip 8 is placed in position upon the handle portion to beengaged by the keeper ll'and the keeper 11 is then swung into the full line position in Fig. 2, clamping the end of the strip between the handle portion 1 and the keeper; the play between the keeper and the handle portion permitting the keeper to be moved into its full line position with the end of the strip securely clamped against movement.

The end portion 2 of the device is now ready to be used for cleaning inaccessible places of a motor car or other object as previously pointed out. After the cloths become soiled or worn it is a very simple matter to replace them by simply unlocking the keeper 11, unwinding the strip 8 and removing the strip and the pad from the device after which a fresh pad and strip may be replaced in the manner already described.

The opposite end 13 of the device, having the spiral or corkscrew 6 thereon is desirably covered with a wiping cloth in a manner difi'ering somewhat from the manner of applying cloth to the end 2. The end 13 is provided with a laterally projected pin or screw 14 which serves to anchor the end of a strip of cloth or other fabric 15. To apply the strip 15 to the spiral 6, one end thereof is provided with a slot 16, by means of which it is anchored to the pin 14. The strip 15 is then wound in a spiral directly upon the spiral portion 6 of the end 15 in a manner to completely cover the spiral 6. This is accomplished by winding a portion of the strip 15 outwardly to the end and then doubling back and reversing the spiral so that the free end of the strip 15, after the winding has been completed, will be situated adjacent its anchoring point upon pin 14. To anchor the free end of the strip a keeper 1? is provided pivotally secured to the handle portion 1. After the keeper 17 has been swung into the dotted line position in Fig. 2, the free end of the strip 15 is placed in position to be locked by the keeper 17 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the keeper 11. The end 13 of the device is thereby provided with a means for cleaning narrow areas or for reaching between the spokes or for cleaning around and between the pokes of a vehicle wheel, or for other points upon the object being cleaned which will readily suggest themselves to the user of the device. While a specific means has been described for anchoring the cloths to the device, any other suitable means within the scope of the claims may be provided. 7

In Fig. 5 a modification of the device is shown in which the principles of the invention are applied to a cleaning device suitable for use on relatively large flat surfaces, walls,

windows or the like as well as for cleaning the surfaces of the body of a vehicle, and also which may be employed to clean relatively inaccessible parts such as the spokes of a vehicle wheel.

The construction disclosed in Fig. 5 comprises a handle member 18 having at one end an offset portion 19 to which a cloth-receiving portion 20 is secured in such manner as preferably to extend substantially at right angles to the offset portion 19 of the handle member. The handle member may be provided with a cylindrical handle 22 seated in a socket 23 formed upon the opposite end of the handle member 18. A hooked-shaped anchoring member 24 similar to the hooked-shaped anchoring member 9 shown in Fig. 2 above described is located adjacent to the end of the handle member and a keeper 25 is pivotally mounted upon the handle member adjacent to the hooked-shaped anchoring member. A padding of soft material may be applied to the cloth-receiving portion 20 and thereafter a strip of cloth wound upon it in the manner above described herein in connection with the other forms of the device. The pad may be omitted, however, and a strip of soft fabric may be applied directly on the cloth-receiving portion 20. In any event, the strip of cloth is slit at one end and secured upon the hooked member 24, then wound about the cloth-receiving arm or the pad alone, or if the pad is applied thereto around the pad and cloth'receiving member in a spiral manner, and the free end of the cloth then anchored beneath the keeper in the manner above described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1.. The combination with a holding member for wiping cloths comprising a handle memher, a cloth-receiving portion at one end, a fixed projecting anchoring means at the base of said cloth-receiving portion, a clamping means adjacent said anchoring means, of a wiping cloth anchored at one end on said anchoring means, twisted about said clothreceiving portion and secured at its other end by said clamping means.

2. The combination with a holding member for wiping cloths comprising a handle member, a cloth-receiving end portion spirally shaped throughout its length, a fixed projecting anchoring means at the base of said clothreceiving portion, a frictionally engaging clamping means adjacent said anchoring means, of a wiping cloth anchored at one end on said anchoring means, twisted about said spiral end portion and secured at its other endvin' said clamping means.

3. The combination with a holding memher for wiping cloths comprising a handle member, a cloth-receiving end portion having an enlarged blunt tip, a fixed projecting anchoring means at the base of said cloth receiving portion, a clamping means adjacent said anchoring means, of a pad of soft material placed over said cloth-receiving portion and a strip of fabric secured at one end upon said anchoring means, wound spirally about said pad and secured at its other end by means of said clamping member.

4. The combination with a holder for wiping cloths comprising a handle member having an ofiset portion, a cloth receiving mem- 1' 

